Francis xavier rizy



@eine tstr getint @fitta MUSICAL RACK 0R. DIEL'SK.`

digi rlgehule rcfctreh tu in these ieiets @mit mit uniting. part uf tige snm.

V TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.:

Be it known that I, FRANCISXAVIER RIZY, of Monroe, Monroe county, and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful improvement in Music Racks 0r Desks, of which the following is a. full and exact description.

The nature of my invention consists'iu making a desk or rack for music attached to a piano, melodeon, organ, or other like instrument, movable, either in an inclined direction or horizontal, according to the height of the instrument, by menos of bars crossing each other at angles varying with the movement-: These crossbars may be made of metal, wood, or other material, and fastened between clamping-bars, by screws passing through the ends of the cross-bars, and the whole fastened to the top front of the instrument in the usual place.

The object of lny invention is to adapt the'distance and position of the music'to the focal distance of the` eye of the performer, without constrain-ing the body by bending forward or backward, or crunching, to read the lower lines, and also to keep the inclination of the hook or sheet always the sameto the line of vision. In the accompanying drawings; p l

Figure lv is a top view, in perspective,` with the apparatus closed.-

Figure 2, the same with kthe apparatus open and the music support or rack down.

Figure anend view plane, showing the desk open and the movement in the line of vision.

Figure 4, a pair of crossbars, inverted, in perspective.

Figure 5, one of the cross-bars, side View, l Figure 6, a sectional View of the inner surface of the two lower clampingbars, showing the slots in which the ends of the cross-bars work.

Similar letters of reference are for like parts. Y

A, iig. 1, is the top of the piano, where the desk is fastened. b is thev foot of the desk, which is fastened to the piano; c the music rack, which, when up in position, supports the music; d the foot-board on which the music rests; e e the clamping-bers, in which act the ends of the cross-bar; fthe thumb-screws to fasten the cross-hars in position; fig. 2, G G G, the cross-bars extended; i an inclined plane, on which rests the broad lower rear clamping-bar, and to which it is fastened; it', recesses cut into the bars, to take in the thumb-screw when the desk is closed; the stanchions in which revolve the axles of the music rack e. k, fig. 3, is the line of vision as it strikes themusic on this improved desk in all positions, whether closed'or fully extended, which is not the case in the common movable desk; l thenew position that the eye must be lowered to in using the common movable desk when brought forward; m the point at which the line of vision-would strike the music if not so lowered; 'n u the enlargements at the ends of the cross-bars to fill up between the clamping-bars; o, fig. 5 t'ne spur or lug that worksin the slots to guide the cross-bars; p, fig. 6, the slotsin the clamping-bars. Fig.` 1 represents the desk closed, the rack'down, ready to put down the piano lid, while fig. 2 shows it drawn out, but the rack down, which, when in use, will be raised in the usual manner, as seen in iig. 3. To use this desk it is only necessary to-take hold of the foot-boad d and pull out to the proper focal distance, and if desired turn the thumb-screwf to fasten it there. The clamping-bars e e, which take in the ends of the cross-hars G, may' be made of thin strips of metal, or any other proper material, and may also be lacquered or painted in imitation of any of thc woods, or enamelled and mounted with pearl, Sie., on the outside; but the working sides must be made very true and highly polisbed,in order to insure easy working. The inclination of the inclined plane h may be made atthe usual angle of the rack itself, or, rather, at right angles to it, when the cross-bars of course will project forward in the same line as seen in iig. 3, travelling always in the'line of vision lc. The cross-bars G should be half cut away in thickness, except at the ends n, as seen in tig. 4, in order to work across each other und shut Within the clamping-bars e. The lower clamping-bars must have slots, j), as seen in iig. 6, in which work the pins or spurs o, as seen in figs. 4, 5, 6, The lower clamping-bar at' the base of the apparatus is made wider than the others, to increase the support and facilitate the detaching of the desk from the instrument when desirable. The thumb-screw may be left out in the manufacture, or, if made, may be used or not, at the pleasure of the performer. 'It may also be made of` any desirable size, so that it does not projecttoo far up against the piano lid when down. The inner ,'edigegsjofA the clamping-bars may be cushioned in the usual manner, to take up the shock of closing,and other parts'may be cushioned also in the common way, to prevent rattle in playing.

The advantages of my invention are the means of adaptiug'the distance of the music to the focaldistance of the eye, and the changing conditions of the light at the time,'but more particularly in extending the desk' in the proper line of vision k, g. 3instef1d of the line m. It also'relieves the player oi' the necessity of stooping to bring the eye to l, cramping the body, and bringing the elbows below the key-board, and producing an inelegant attitude, besides rendering the play diiicult. Another important advantage is in the uniform working of the movable parts of the desk, which in those now in use are apt to cramp in the wooden ways, and can only be moved by violent ebrt, at times causing the rapid destruction of the apparatus, or the neglect to use it altogether, only as an immovable desk, because of the annoyance in the Working. This has become apparent to so great an extent that the movable desk has gone nearly out of use. Every change in the atmosphere of the room, whether thermal or hygrometric, aifectsthe working, and it can never be depended on, and as some windu-ge at the ends is absolutely necessary on this account, the very windage itself becomes an element of trouble, and unless the foot-board is grasped exactly in the centre, and pulledwith extreme care, it is almost sure to jam and fail. But notwithstanding the disadvantages, the imperfect movable desks in use have been clung to by some manufacturers, showing that the Want of a good vdesk is very much felt. In the use of the immovable desk the'near-sighted player must strain forward to see, and the long-sighted also when the light isv not strong enough. Another advantage of my desk over thehorizontal movable racks, is, that the foot-board d, Which'in the common desk would project over the key-board, in this case rises obliqnely above it, neither obstructing the handsrnor the sight. Neither does the invention materially increase the expense' of the mann facture. The extension of the desk forwards and upwards can be stopped at any point, and can be readily moved with one hand while playing` scarcely interrupting 4the players hand for a moment, While the other movable racks require more time and both hands.' The use of this remyves the necessity forithe unsightly angles about the front and top of the piano, and the long bridges or guides projecting over the strings, on which the old movable desks are made to move, obstructing and breaking up the sound. As the Working part'sare of metal, they are less liable to bind from the causes named.

What I claim as my invention, is

The .cross-bars G, in combination with the clamping-bars e, the inclined planeI h, thumb-screw f, slots p, spurs o, enlargements n, and also in combination with the other common devices, such as the foot-board d,`rack c, and instrument a.

FRANCIS XAVIER RIZY.

Witnesses:

H. M. NOBLE,

DANIEL NOBLE. 

